Flush valve



July 19, 1932- c. l.. EsTERLY 1,868,316

'FLUSH VALVE Filed June 12. v1929 2 Sheets-Sheet, l

CHA/12 E5 575@ y July 19,' 193.2 c. L; EsTERLY 11,858,316

FLUSH VALVE Filed June 12. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 35" I Y* xml 54 36 37(f1/Aufs! fri/P0 F/. 6. 29 ay MM( 6 uffi y Arr ,W4/5K i j justing valveutilized length lof the flushing c through the flush valve to actuatedby the Patented July 19, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES L.ESTERLY, 0F EAST CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE WELLMAN BRONZE &ALUMINUM COMPANY, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO FLUSH VALVEApplication kled .Tune 12,

This invention vparticularly relates to improvements in flush valveswhereby the'adfor controlling the Y period can be actuated withoutshutting 01T the water from the main and also without any leakage; thereare also provided a new and improved assembly of adjusting valveincluding a screenffor protecting the adjusting valve an improved typeof piston which reciprocates in the main valve body and by the movementsof which the iiow of water from the main directly the outlet ispermitted or shut off, such new type of piston being formed so as toeifect the automatic washing out of accumulated sediment by the flow ofwater from'the main through the iiush valve; and* an improved vreliefvalve guide or pilot by means of which the relief valve head is centeredwhenit is forced down upon its seat by a springafter being released fromthe pressure of the push bar which is flush valve handle; Other detailimprovements will appear hereinafter and be fully explained by thespecification and upon reference to the accompanying drawings. Y n Theannexed drawings and the following description set forth in detailcertain' means embodying my invention, such meansconstituting, however,but one of the forms in which the principle of the invention may beillustrated.

In said annexed drawings:

' Figure 1 is a central vertical section of the improved valve connectedto inlet and outlet conduits of which fragmentary portions are shown,the several parts of the valve being in the respective positionsoccupied when in closed or non-flushing position;

Figure 2 is a plan View of the elements shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken in the planeindicated by theline l i Figure 1 Figure 4 is a fragmentarv verticalsection, taken in the plane indicated by the line 4-4, Figure 8; f

rFigure 5 is a Derspectiveview of arelief valve guide or pilot; f

1929. Serial N0. 370,386.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing, however, the respectivepositions of the several valve parts shortly after the actuation of theoperating handle of the valve Figure 7 is a central vertical section ofa screened adjusting-valve assembly unit removed from the valve body;

Figure 8 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Figure 7 Figures 9and 10 are horizontal sections, taken, respectively, in the planesindicated by the lines 9-9 and 10-10, Figure 6;

Figure 11 is a horizontal section, taken in the plane indicated by theline 11-11, Figure 8;

Figures 12'to 17, inclusive, are detached axial sectional views of theseveral parts of the screened adjusting valve assembly, prior to theirassembling, the same being shown aligned in the order of theirassembling, Figure 12, showing the adjusting screw packing nut, Figure13, the adjusting screw proper, Figure 14, the packing gland of theadjusting valve body, Figure 15, the adjusting valve body, Figure 16,the adjusting valve protective screen, and Figure 17, a portion of thescreen housing, the adjusting valve body shown in Figure 15 beingprovided with means forming the remainder of the screen housing, ashereinafter fully described; and

Figures 18 to 23 are elevations respectively of tie several parts shownin Figures 12 to 1 Referring to the annexed drawings in which the sameparts are indicated by the same respective numbers in the several views,the chambered fiush valve body 1 is formed with a guideway 2 toaccommodate the vertical reciprocations of a piston comprised of the topmember 13 and the bottom member 16 which are threaded together, asplainly shown in Figures 1 and 6, the top member 13 alone sliding uponthe surface of the guidewav 2, as also plainly shown in said figures.The chambered valve body 1 is formed with an internally-threaded boss 3adapted for connection to a nipple 4 which leads to the water main. Thevalve bodv 1 is also formed with an externally-threaded boss 5 adaptedfor connection, through the medium of a nut j bottom 16 is sealed byly-eXtended horizontal portion 18 piston top 4,13.

. sealing rpush rod parts after fully 28 and a nut gasket 29, to aconduit 6 leadingto the waste water outlet. Another eX-ternally-threaded boss 7 .provides means for the securing of theoperating handle and to the valve body, as hereinexplained, and anupstanding boss 8 secured outsidethe'valve body 1 proper' provides meansfor securing the adjusting valve parts, whichA also will be hereinafterdescribed in detail...-An annular.V rim 9 which surrounds. the chamber.21 connect-V ing the inlet chamber 10 and an outlet cham- .ber .10forms a seat for the main valve element which permits theflow of thewater directly through the valve body fonflushing purposes. An.internally-threadedl cap 11 covers the top of the valve chamber, anannular sealing, vgasket 12 being utilized, as plainly shown in Figures1 and 6. The joint adjacent the connected screw-threaded portions ofthepiston top 13 andthe piston i means of a cup washer 18 which isformedwith an annular inwardconfined between the bottom face of an enlargedbottom .portion 14 of the piston top 13 and the top face of an annularenlarged portion 15 formed upon the piston bottoinmember 16, this .cup.washer 18 being also formed 'with a downwardly-extended annular skirt182 eloselyregistering with the surface of the guideway 2 beneath theperipheral sliding Contained within the piston is the'relief valve 19lmounted upon the top' of a refill plug 23. through the medium of arelief valve-washer 22 which forms the valve upon the plug 23, thisrelief valve 19.

l being ynormally heldin seated position by a relief valve coil spring26 mounted at one end around the centralizing cap portion 31 of therelief valve 19 and abutting at the other end the spaced head ribs 27andthe central hub or-head 27 forming parts of the piston top member'13. j Piston member 14 is formed with anupwardly-extended stopmember272 to limit the opening movement of the piston.

The valve member proper which seats upon f the annu-lar rim 9.- iscompleted by the :piston seat washer2'4 contained within a countersunlrchamber 16 formed in the bottom of thepiston member16, said washer 24resting upon va 'peripheral annular .v shoulder 30 formed on the-refillplug 23, the latter being screw-threaded above `lsaid shoulder 30'intothe lower pistonmember 16, as plainly shown in- Figures 1 and 6. Therelief valve is complcted by Cil a valve stem20 secured vat its top end'inthe spring-centralizing headl member 31 and extended downwardlythroughthe reli-ll `plug 23 and the passage 21 and into the dischargelcondu'it10.r f In order that lthe relief valve head; member may becentered when*V the-valve is permitted to be seated under'the action 'ofthe spring 2 6, IV provide the valve `as plainly shown in Figure andseating means for the` reliefy stem 2O with, or form thereon,.a pilot orY conical lower portion 48, the downwardly Y tapered surface of thisVlower conical portion 48S forming means. for centering the relief valve,inasmuch as the top portion 47 rthereof -isrectangular and the longerdimension of the top face 46 is substantially equal to the diameterAofthe chamber in the refill plug 23,

4.. The side surfaces ofthe topv portion'47 of the guidey Vare trimmedolf plane to formthe vertical j which merge at their-lower ends into thetop of the peripheral surface face` portions 47 Vportion of the conicallower guide member 48, as plainly shown in Figure 5.. Y It will be notedinFigure l that the annular bottom portion ofthe piston member 16Visflared outwardly and downwardly and a 1s disposed below the 4center ofthe inlet passageway 10 v andV also in the vline of water trav-elthrough the passageway 10to the passageway 2.1. This particularlconstruction is for the purpo'seof enabling the flushing l.

water to wash off any sediment which'may have deposited upon the surfaceof thepiston part 16, and thus prevent the accumulation of sediment uponthev piston surface.

The valve actuating means are controlled through the handle 32 which isformedV at its innerY end with an enlarged flange member 33 whose outer,face labuts a correspondingly l shaped flange member 43 formed upon ahub member 42 secured to one end olf push bar .41.v The inner end of.this. push bar 41 abuts the relief valve stem 20, when the valve is inidle non-flushingposi-tion,l as shown in Figure 1. Thel 'flange members.33 and 43 and the outer end of 'the pushy bar 41 are contained withinthe chamber ofa sleeve-37 closely fitted within themain body boss 7 andhaving an external'enlarged flange portion 35 .abutting an innergaslretmember 36 disposed adjacent the outer face 7 of the boss 7,' thewhole assembly being securely locked together through the medium of thehandle retaining member 49V which engages an externally-threaded endportion of the boss 7 The housing for the actuating flange members 33and 43 is 'completed by the bottom wall 37 of the sleeve 37 which formsan abutment for one end of a push bar spring 44, .the other end of saidspring 44 encircling the hub member 42and abutting the pushbarflange43'.

f A guide for' the pushbar 41 is formed by a housing portion 70 of thevalve internally-threaded and adapted to cooperate bar packing nut 39and a push bar packing member 40, as plainly shown in .Figures 1 and 6.i The wall of the body member 1 is formed adjacent the boss 8 with a'by-pass hole 50 which leads at one end into the chamber of the main body1 above the guideway 2 and at the other end into the chamber of the boss8. This boss 8 contains the adjusting screw 62 which is threaded at itslower end and adapted for engagement with and vertical adjustment in anadjusting valve body member 52. The lower valve portion proper of theadjusting screw 62 cooperates with seat portion 54 formed in the bodymember 52 adjacent the top of a hole 54 which connects a lower open-endscreen portion 70 of the valve body 52 and side openings 53 opening intoan annular chamber 51 contained within the boss 8 and into which the oneend of the by-pass valve hole 50 leads. The screen body 52 is with theexternally-threaded upper portion of a lower screen housing member 55which is formed at its lower end with a plurality of side wall openings56 leading into the inlet chamber 10. It is evident therefore that,

, when the adjusting screw 62 is raised from its seated position uponthe member 54, there is an open passage for water from the inlet chamber10 to the top of the chamber within the main body 1, the amount ofcommunication depending upon the adjustment of the lower valve portionof the adjusting screw 62 relative to the seat member 54. A screenmember 71 is positioned between the holes 56 leading from the inletchamber 10, and the passage 54 leading from the housing member 70, thelatter and the complementary housing member 55 being provided withannular groove portions in their body members respectively for receivingand seating the upper and lower edges of the screen 71, these Y grooveportions being indicated by the number 68 in the housing member 70 ofthe valve body 52 and the numberV 69 in the housing member 55.

An adjusting packing gland 57 is sleeved around the valve body member 52of the adjusting screw 62 and, through the medium of a follower 59 and apacking rubber 60 seated upon an annular ilange 61 formed upon the valvebody 52, serves to hold the valve body 52 tightly within the chamber ofthe boss 8 and provides a leak-proof joint above the annular chamber 51.The lower face of the valve body 52 engages an adjusting valve libergasket 66 which is seated upon an inner annular shoulder 67 formed inthe body of the boss 8. The upper end of the valve body 52 isexternally-threaded and engages with an adjusting screw pac-king nut 63which covers and surrounds an adjusting screw packing 64 to preventleakage along the adjusting screw 62. An outside cover member 65 isprovided for the packing gland 57 and the packing nut 63 and the top ofthe adjusting screw 62, this cover 65 being externallythreaded at itslower end and engaging with an internally-threaded flange 8 formed uponthe top of the boss body 8. The screen 71 serves effectively to filterthe fluid which afterwards passes through the by-pass 50 and thusremoves the probability of this by-pass and the adjusting valve partsand the guideway 2 being damaged or clogged by sediment. Thisconstruction particularly prevents the possibility of the clogging ofthe space between the adjusting screw 62 and the seat 54 and thuseliminates any disturbance of the adjustment setting. Furthermoratheparticular screen assembly shown is easily applied and removed,economic-ally produced and installed, and very satisfactory inoperation. v

I also direct attention to the fact that the adjusting screw assemblyobviates any leakage from the chamber of the boss 8 when the adjustingscrew proper 62 is actuated for changing the length of the flushingperiod without shutting oif the water from the main. This adjustment iseffected by removing the cover 65 and turning the screw 62 by a suitabletool through the medium of the groove 62 in the head of the screw 62,the adjusting screw packing 64 preventing any leakage along theperiphery of the screw 62, and the packing rubber 60 preventing anyleakage along the inter-engaging screw threads formed upon the packinggland 57 and the inner wall of the boss 8.

It is well understood by those skilled in the art that the period offlushing is regulated by the time necessary to iill the chamber' abovethe piston part 14 with water which is by-passed through the conduit 50,and this period is regulated bv the settingof the adjustment screw 62.Tf this screw 62 is adjusted to increase the size of' the space betweenthe seat 54 and the lower valve portion of the screw 62, water isby-passed through the conduit 50 in greater quantities and the timenecessary for filling the chamber above the pistonr part`14 and seatingthe washer 24 upon the annular rim 9 is shortened and thus the flushingperiod during which the water passes directly from the fitting 4 to thefitting 5 is also shortened. Conversely, the adjustment of the screw 62so as to make the spaceabove the seat54 smaller results in a longeriushing period.

lWhat I claim is:

1. A flush valve including a casing formed with an inlet and an outletand a guideway; ama-in valve member formed with a guide portion operablein said guideway; a relief valve including an upper seatpoition and adownwardly extended stem; means for actuating said stem to open saidrelief valve;

means tendingtov hold the relief valve seat; anda aguide lmembersecured-toftheupf' screw, said gland p er'pa-rt of said stem forcentralizingthe -relief valve upon its seat; said guide member havinganupper rectangular portion with a dimension substantially equal to thediameter of the chamber in which thestem'is actuated', said `guidemember havingalso a lower conical f portion.

' and:

2; A iiush valve including'a easing formed vvithanv inletfand an outletand av guidevvay; a valve memberformed with a guide portion operable insaidfguidevvay; a manually actuatedA relief valve` Whose openingrrelieves the pressureA abovetlie aforesaid valvemember y permits thelatter to, move upwardlyv in said guide portion to open; mea-ns forminga by-pass from the inlet to the casing-chamber above the valve member;an adjusting valve for yregulating the fluid passage through theby-pass; an adjusting valve body member formed With a seat 'portion' forthe vadjusting valve; said'valve body member beingal'so formed With a'bottom open end Vchambered portion having an upperannular groovesection a screen housing threaded at its upper endlinto said chamberedportion',v saidv hous-f ing being formed with a lovverannular groovelsectioa;-'and a cylindrical screenl seated at litsfends Within saidgrooves, said housing being formed with a plurality of holescommunicatingwith said inlet and forming a Y part 'of said by-pass.

3. A iiush valve including a casing formed with an inlet and an outletand a guideway; a valve member 'formed Witha guide portion operable insaid guidevvay; a manually actuated relief `valve Whose Vopeningrelieves the pressure above the aforesaid Yvalve member and permits thelatter to. move upwardly in said guide portion to open; an open-toplateral boss yformed integrally vvith theV casing* and having a chamberportion; a by-pass conduit formed in the Wall of the boss and oommunifeatingv with the casing Vchamber above the valve member and alsoWith-thechamber in theboss; an adjusting valve body contained Withinsaid boss'chamber and having a pasing. t

i f .Signed sage therethrough communicating with said inlet and alsoWith thefchamber in the boss; a' packing gland sleeved around said valvebody and having external screw-threaded engagement with the topportionof said boss;

a follower" and lpacking rubber belovvv said gland and in Contact -Wi'ththe inner boss yW'all,'said valveY body being vvformed With an annulari'iange upon which said packing rubber rests; a screvv valve memberadjustably secured Within saidfvalvefbody, the latter being formed Witha'i'valve seat portion for said screw, thelatter extending outwardlybeyond Vsaid valve body; leak-proof' packing surrounding the end of:said valve body and the adjacent portion of' said screw; and a removablecover secured tothe open topperto; its tionv` of saidboss and enclosingthe top. of said by mefthis 13th day ofAMay; 192.9.. Y v CHARLESESTERLY.,

